Once Upon a Time
by theAnGerFlarE
Summary: Odin decides that enough is enough: a century had passed since Loki's attack on Earth and Jane's death. An arranged marriage has been settled for them; much to Loki's disgust. But one of the Princesses refuse to go through with the marriage and has a trick or two up her own sleeve. Will she catch the God of Mischief's eye? Or will she end up destroying everything?
1. Sons of Odin

Odin watched as his two songs knelt before him; both of them surrounded by Asgardian soldiers and the Warriors Three. He watched them in silence as they quietly glanced at one another, no words being spoken. There was a twinge of anxiety as he cleared his throat. This was an important meeting, one that was about to change the future of Asgard forever. He cast a wary gaze at his Queen, Frigga, and she returned his gaze with a small nod. This had to be done.

"My sons," Odin boomed, his voice echoing loudly. Thor and Loki both looked up; Thor looking curious while Loki had a sullen, slightly bitter expression on his face. Odin spoke again, his voice level and clear.

"It has been a century since Loki's wrongdoings on Misgard. He has gone through trial, and finished his punishment through the prisons. Thor, you have never strayed far from your brother, continually fixing the messes he has left behind. The both of you have been changed by the experience, and I hope that you both are wiser from it. However; there is a time in a Prince's life where one last decision must be made by the parents, before they are set free as adults. As men." Odin paused, waiting for one of them to speak up.

"What do you mean?" Thor asked quietly, worry creasing his face. Loki remained silent, his face as unperturbed as ever.

Frigga rose from her seat and put a comforting hand on Odin's arm. "Bluntly put, the both of you have an arranged marriage with two Princesses from the opposite realm. We have talked to the king of Vanaheim, and he has agreed to let his daughter come to Asgard to be married."

Thor's mouth dropped open, not a sound coming from him.

Loki looked stunned, surprise taking over his features. He slowly got to his feet. "You are forcing us to be wed?" he said, almost under his breath. "Do you not think that we can make our own decisions?"

Odin's face tightened. "Loki, this is the way things are. I will not live forever."

"To hell with that." Loki snapped, slowly clenching and unclenching his fists. The crowd was silently gaping in disbelief. "I refused to be married to some spoilt harlot. And why am I forced into this anyway, '_Father' _dearest? I am not king and never will be-"

"Quiet, brother." Thor muttered. "Now is not the time nor place."

Loki chuckled dryly. "I suppose now would be the right time to mention that mortal woman of yours..."

Thor's face dropped.

"Silence, Loki!" Odin said loudly, slamming down the hilt of his staff on the floor. "It will be done!"

Without another word, Loki knelt back down and cast his eyes on the floor; even though his face was twisted in a small bitter smile. He almost wished that he'd get sent back to the prisons, or even Jotunheim. He would much rather be suffering there then forcing himself to give up what little freedom he had gotten back. His eyes met with Thor's for a split second before he looked away.

"Do not be so bitter, Loki. You will not meet a better woman then one of Vanaheim. Perhaps she will show you what it truly means to be a king." Odin said icily, staring at Loki with his one good eye.

Loki didn't say anything, just snorted in response.

"My sons, I know this is much to take in. But the girls have traveled very far to get here." Frigga said calmly. "They are Princesses; they expect the best of behavior."

"Of course, mother." Thor said softly. "Do you know their names?"

Frigga smiled at him. "The one you will wed is the eldest Princess. Her name is Kaisa Vanir."

"And Loki's?" Thor asked, ignoring the angry hiss of disgust behind him.

"Takumi Vanir." Frigga answered. Then her voice grew softer, and she crossed her hands across her stomach in a Queenly fashion. "I am afraid I cannot tell you much else. The king of Vanaheim keeps his affairs very closed to the rest of the realms, including his daughters. Who they are and what Vanaheimians are capable of, I do not know."

"Perhaps Loki's queen will be just as psycho as he!" one guard shouted from the back of the room, causing the entire room to burst into a fit of laughter.

Loki slowly got to his feet again and stared angrily at the laughing crowd, scowling. Thor quickly jumped to his feet and clasped a hand over Loki's mouth, preventing him from saying anything else. The crowed quickly quieted; covering their mouths to muffle their giggles.

Odin cleared his throat again. "The two Vanaheimians will be here shortly. I suggest you make your chambers tidy for them."

Loki wrenched himself free of Thor's grip. "I WILL have a say in this! I refuse!" he snapped.

"Loki.." Frigga said softly.

"I will make her life hell." he snarled. Then he turned on his heel and stalked out of the throne room, slamming the doors hard behind him. There was an uneasy silence left behind, everyone in the room quietly holding their breath.

Thor shifted from foot to foot, looking anxious. "I am sorry. He is.. upset. This is much to take in."

"We know." Odin stepped down from his throne and put his hand on Thor's shoulder. "And we do not expect you to be jovial about this. And we do know that you are still in mourning for the mortal Jane's death on Misgard."

"All is well." Thor mumbled. "She was a mighty woman."

"And hopefully, so will the Vanirs." Odin gave him a hard shake on the shoulder before turning to walk away. "Talk to your brother, Thor. We do not need any more messes."

The crowd followed Odin out of the room, leaving Thor to stand in the middle by himself. After the last person had stumbled out and the doors had closed with a loud _bang, _Thor felt his heart hammer painfully against his chest. The same way he always felt when he thought about Jane, and her last moments on Earth.

Those wonderful, painfully short, and fatal moments that they had spent together.

Thor sighed and reached for his hammer, his fingers curling around the handle. He would have to talk to Loki, indeed. But if he knew anything about Loki, he knew that he wouldn't settle for this.

Not until he got his way.


	2. Daughters of Vanaheim

**_Along the Border of Asgard.. _**

Kaisa sat in a wobbly wood carriage, her hands gently folded over her lap and her back resting against the seat. Every now and then she'd reach over and take the small hand mirror and look at herself, gazing at the bored expression on her face. There was nothing else to do but admire the artwork that was her- a Princess in her prime. Lovely soft brown eyes and long chestnut hair framing her face; she was a spitting image of the Queen of Vanaheim. She sighed softly as she put the hand mirror back for the umpteenth time. It was a good thing she looked queenly, she supposed. She _was _about to be married to a Prince.

She stared out the window and watched as the lush landscape slowly chugged by them. They were almost to Asgard, judging by all the forests that was surrounding them. There were small ravines and rivulets of water that stood still, glistening from the suns above them. Kaisa sucked in her breath as she watched it all. Vanaheim didn't look very much like this. It was more industrious- perhaps more like Earth. Kaisa hadn't ever visited Misgard before, but she heard that it was full of wondrous contraptions and inventions.

"Asgard is going to be beautiful." she murmured, her fingers clasping tightly on the edge of the window. She looked at her sister Takumi, who was sitting on the floor in the corner, staring sullenly at the wood. "Do you not agree?"

Takumi gave a listless shrug. "Who cares?"

Kaisa sat back in her seat, all giddy feelings about Asgard now dissipated. Now she felt like a fool. "We should both care. This will be our home for a while, you know. We might as well appreciate the surroundings here. Be grateful for this, Takumi."

"I consider this a punishment." Takumi snorted, pushing her black hair behind her shoulders again. "I have better things to do in my time than meet some stupid Princes and try to act like I'm a Queen or whatever."

"The Princes are warriors." Kaisa snapped. She leaned forwards, feeling a twinge of irritation for her sister's ignorance. "You know, sister, ever since we have left Vanaheim, you have been nothing but bitter. Your permanent sour mood is getting tiring. You should be happy. We are finally getting wed, getting married to the strongest men in all the Nine realms."

"I heard that the youngest Prince tried to take over Earth and failed." Takumi quipped, staring at her sister with an equally fiery expression. "Loki- isn't it? Or is it Thor? I haven't bothered to remember."

Kaisa rolled her eyes, exasperated. "You haven't learned the names of the Asgardian royalty? For shame, Takumi! Father even gave you a parchment to study!"

"I highly doubt you know anything about them either, Kaisa, so shut up."

"I know about them!" Kaisa protested. "I know that Thor is the eldest, the God of Thunder. He wields the magic hammer Mjölnir, which his father, Odin the All-Father, gave to him. Loki is the youngest brother. He was adopted from the enemy realm of Jotunheim."

Takumi rolled her eyes and leaned back against the carriage wall. "So he's a bastard brother?"

"Takumi!" Kaisa wailed, her cheeks flooding red. "How dare you say that!?"

"Well he is! Tis not my fault if that is the way things are." Takumi crossed her arms tightly over her chest, looking more sullen than ever. "Why would Odin adopt an enemy child in the first place?"

"That is none of our concern." Kaisa muttered, turning her face to look out the window again. "Try to keep your blunt mouth shut when we get there, yeah?"

"No promises." Takumi said simply, picking at the wood with her fingernail.

The two girls rode in awkward silence, neither of them knowing what to say.

Kaisa wished that she could smack some sense into her sister. She knew that Takumi was against the marriage entirely, and that she was set on ruining the marriage any way she could. Kaisa winced as she recalled the fight that Takumi and their father had gotten into a couple days ago, when they were informed that they were leaving to Asgard to be wed. It was horrible, she remembered. She hadn't really reacted, but Takumi had went off; first she had laughed, thinking it was a joke. But then she realized that it wasn't, and she had flipped a feasting table and was screaming obscenities at the guards and their father. Takumi had even gone far enough to take her sword and smash it into the pillar of the throne room, breaking apart the fragile glass that decorated it. She was sentenced to her room after that, not allowed to come out until they were to leave for Asgard. For three days, Takumi remained in her chambers, snarling vile insults to anyone who entered.

Kaisa didn't really understand why Takumi detested the image of getting married so much. In fact, Kaisa was the opposite. She was kind of excited to be married to a Prince of Asgard. She would be able to follow in her mother's footsteps of becoming a great Queen; a Queen that her people would be able to turn to if they needed help. She would be the role model for her people, leading by her husband's side.

Oh, it was every Princess's dream. Except for Takumi's that is.

"Kaisa," she heard Takumi whisper. "We could run, you know."

Kaisa quickly drew herself out of her thoughts and stared at Takumi in disbelief. "Are you insane?"

"Of course not." Takumi scoffed, pushing her hair back behind her shoulders again. Her large eyes sparkled with mischevious glint, the same glint that she always got when she had an idea. "Once we reach the rainbow bridge to Asgard, we can sneak out the back of the carriage! They won't even know where we are 'til they reach the palace, and by then, we'll be able to cross into a different realm. We could cross into Niflheim and stay there. Or we could even go to Misgard."

Kaisa was stunned. "N-no! Are you crazy, Takumi? What in the gods is wrong with you!?"

"C'mon, I know you don't want to get married to these crazy bastards." Takumi tugged on her sleeve. "You're just putting up a front for Father. Well you don't need to do that anymore! Father can't control us anymore."

"I am not doing this! You are insane." Kaisa hissed.

"Why the hell not?" Takumi scowled. "I've got my magic and I snuck your dagger into my belt. We can fight off whatever Beasts and such we meet. Are you afraid of a little adventure, Kaisa?"

"I am not afraid of adventure! There has been a lot of work between the two realms for this to be arranged. We just cannot break this deal that we made with Father. I will not cross him." Kaisa crossed her arms blatantly, glaring at her sister.

Takumi went quiet as she leaned against the wall, and then she let out a little half-choked laughter. She looked half amused, but there was an angry fire churning in her eyes as she fiddled with the hilt of the dagger that she had taken out from her belt. "I always knew you were a pussy. You would never cross Father, even if that meant saving your own damn life."

"Hold your tongue, Takumi." Kaisa said sharply, feeling her cheeks flush red.

"Father always liked you more. It's probably because you'd never do anything that would make him angry, heaven forbid that Kaisa Vanir EVER do anything bad!" Takumi shot her hands up in the air and waved them around like a madman. "Oh, holy All-Father, I am desperately sorry for being such a bad daughter! I am sorry that I don't want to marry your asshole son!"

"Takumi!" Kaisa shot forwards and slammed a hand over her sister's mouth, mortified that Takumi was even speaking in such a tone. Takumi didn't struggle, she simply kept yelling out muffled curses as she stared up at the ceiling, as though she was talking to the All-Father herself. It was all so embarrassing; they were supposed to be Princesses. Kaisa squeezed her hand more tightly over Takumi's mouth, digging her fingernails into her face. "I swear to the Nine, Takumi, be quiet or I will slap you!"

Takumi rolled her eyes, but she stopped talking. She just sat there, staring at Kaisa angrily and tugging at the arm that was around her face. Kaisa finally let go, not because she wanted to, but because she felt the carriage slowly starting to stop.

The two sisters looked at one another in confusion. Kaisa scrambled upwards and into the bench she was sitting at, and peered out the window. Her stomach dropped as she saw a huge waterfall descending downwards, the water rushing impossibly loud. There was a colorful material underneath them, a glassy like surface that she could almost see her face in. It was the rainbow bridge.

They were in Asgard.

She looked at Takumi, who was still sitting on the floor with a stunned look on her face. "What Kaisa?" she asked, her voice small.

"We're here." Kaisa said, her own voice surprisingly soft.

* * *

_As I promised to 'The Arrangement' followers, this story is remarkably similar. But with some plot changes ;)_

_For new followers, please enjoy. Review. :)_


	3. I've Finally Seen Asgard, Kaisa

Both girls stepped out the carriage, their eyes widening at the sight of Asgard's front gate. There in front of them was a huge golden fence, decorated heavily with runes and fancy crests that poked out of the top. Everything was a shiny gold- making it incredibly regal looking. The guard standing in front of the gate looked at them with a scrutinizing expression. He didn't move; not even his darkened fingers twitched off the spear he was holding.

Takumi shifted nervously on foot to foot as the Vanaheim guard closed the carriage behind them. He rode off without another word to them or the Asgardian, and they were left alone.

"Uhm.. Greetings." Takumi said blatantly, holding up her hand in a friendly gesture. She racked her brain for the proper way to introduce herself as a Princess, but nothing was coming to mind. Her mouth moved as though she wasn't in control. "We're from Vanaheim, and we're here to see the All-Father himself. There was some sort of marriage deal- I'm sure you've heard of it."

Kaisa hissed at her in embarrassment, but she didn't say a word.

The guard blinked, the only movement that Takumi had seen so far. His golden eyes shifted over the two sister's, looking over them slowly as though he was judging on how they moved, how they breathed, even the way they stood. It made the skin on Takumi's neck prickle. After a moment, he spoke in a deep, powerful voice. "So, you are the Princesses from the opposite realm." He said slowly. "Asgard has been expecting your arrival."

"I am sorry for my sister's impolite manners." Kaisa said hurriedly. "I am Kaisa Vanir, the eldest. My sister is Takumi Vanir. We would like entrance into your kingdom, if you would allow it."

Takumi rolled her eyes as Kaisa kept talking to the guard. Of course they wanted to get into the city- thats why they were there. And her greeting wasn't THAT bad. At least she had bought up the stupid marriage deal in the first place. She huffed to herself and looked around at their surroundings, blocking out the conversation between the strange man and Kaisa.

Everything was different, she realized. There wasn't much grass outside of the gate, it was mainly a worn-down cobblestone path that lead up and over to the great beyond of the star rivers. She remembered the strange feeling of riding along the star river for the first time, a wobbly ship among the glowing balls of light. Leaving behind the mechanical city of Vanaheim was almost a relief; she had been anxious to see something other than the metallic linings of the palace. Her mind wandered a bit. How did Asgard look? Did it look like the rich and lush kingdom like in the scrolls? Or was it empty and expanded, like the tribal realms? She could only wonder.

"We would be happy to meet with Odin." She heard Kaisa say. Takumi glanced a look at her sister, now paying rapt attention to what they were talking about. "Thank you for your service, gatekeeper Heimdall."

The guard, Heimdall apparently, bowed his head. "The pleasure, Princess Kaisa. You and your sister will be escorted to the palace at once."

Before Takumi could say anything, Heimdall had picked up his large staff and bumped it against the ground. There was a loud rumbling sound, and the golden gates started to swing open. Takumi could see the kingdom of Asgard slowly coming into view. Two other guards dressed in heavy armor were waiting for them on the other side, silent and unmoving.

Kaisa gently grabbed Takumi's arm and started to walk forward, the both of them slowly walking over the border into Asgard. Takumi felt twists of anxiety in her stomach, turning her palms sweaty and her knees weak.

"Beware, Vanir sisters." Heimdall spoke suddenly, just as the two of them had crossed to the other side of the gate. His head slowly turned towards them, his golden eyes piercing into theirs. "As the gatekeeper of Asgard, it is my job to make sure that this kingdom is safe from intruders and outsiders. If opposing realms are to hear of your arrival, then you will be protected at all costs. There is always the possible threat of war between the realms. Beware of this, Princesses."

"War? What the hell are you talking about?" Takumi snapped, before she could stop it. Kaisa slapped a hand over her mouth, effectively shutting her up.

"Thank you, Heimdall." Kaisa said kindly.

Heimdall nodded silently, and with another bump of his staff, the huge golden gates started to close. The path leading out to the other realms slowly disappeared from view.

Takumi angrily wrenched herself out of Kaisa's grip and nearly lost her footing, stumbling backwards into one of the guards. She flinched forwards and stood still, her face flushed red.

They chuckled, much to her irritation. "Come with us, Princesses." One of them said, sounding amused. "We must see Odin at once and inform him of your arrival."

As they walked down the long bridge leading into the kingdom, Takumi made sure to keep her humiliated gaze on the ground and away from Kaisa's glare. In front of her, she saw one of the guards nudging the other and the two of them snickering.

"Aye, lassie, graceful one eh?" He said to her, laughing heartily as he said it. "I thought the Princesses of Vanaheim would be more graceful and prudent!"

"I'm not a clumsy oaf." Takumi snapped to them, ignoring another glare from Kaisa. "My foot slipped and I accidently landed on you dunces."

One of the guards with a busy red beard turned around and stared at her. "You have a mouth on ye, lassie. You should watch yourself, before you say the wrong thing. We don't take kindly to women who smart off to us, and it will not be tolerated around the All-Father."

"Maybe you shouldn't act like a total dic-"

"Takumi!" Kaisa said sharply, cutting her off. Her sister looked at the guards with a sorry expression. "I apologize for her. She is unhappy with the journey, and the both of us are tired. We are grateful that you have volunteered to escort us to the palace. Neither of us have ever been outside of Vanaheim."

The guard grunted, accepting Kaisa's apology. Takumi glowered at him, feeling a flicker of red-hot anger surge once in her veins. She longed for her magic staff that was still in her hidden compartment at home. It was the only thing that calmed her nerves down. Her fingers reached up to the belt on her waist, where they gently touched the handle of the dagger she had stuffed in there. It was Kaisa's old hunting knife, the kind that she used when she was younger. It soothed her nerves a little, but she kept imagining swinging out the dagger and stabbing it into the guard in front of her.

She licked her lips and looked around her. There were colors that flashed with every step that she took, flashing underneath her dress and illuminating her steps with tiny lights. It was the famous rainbow bridge- and now that she was up close she saw that it was made with tiny crystals and stones. Takumi peered her head over the side of the bridge and saw a vast ocean underneath them, rushing into a waterfall that poured down in a frothy fog that she couldn't see beyond. She lifted her eyes to the sky; a brilliant splash of orange and red as the two suns were setting.

Asgard. This was Asgard.

* * *

Odin stood silently on his outdoor crest, watching over his kingdom with his one good eye. The evening was coming to a quiet close- it had been a quiet day altogether. There wasn't much for him to worry about, for once, and he had spent most of the day relaxing and restoring his powers without stooping to Odinsleep. Refreshed, he was now thinking strictly on the two Vanaheimians that were probably making their way to Asgard at this very moment.

He was worried about how the marriages would play out. There was much to be done; the entire kingdom would participate in the wedding ceremonies and there would be a grand feast prepared by the best chefs in the Nine Realms. He would have to appoint his guards to every place of weakness, especially the weapons vault where the Jotunheim cube was stored. He knew that during the course of the wedding, his enemies would be watching very carefully.

He sighed and put his hands on the golden railing, leaning on it. He felt a small gust of wind behind him, and he closed his eyes as he gripped the rail even tighter before he turned and faced the shadowy man standing behind him. "Sveigoir. You know better than to sneak up on me at a time like this."

"I know this as well as you do. My time is short, All-Father, I will only be a moment." Sveigoir nodded, his features becoming more prominent as his spell took it's affect. The King of Vanaheim stood in front of him, his dark eyes shining with the old wisdom that all the realm leaders shared. Even with the hairs on his head and his beard spotting grey and the wrinkles lining his eyes, he looked as powerful as ever.

"Pray, what are you doing here?" Odin asked, shaking his head in confusion. "Do not take offense to this, Sveigoir, but I believe that our last talk covered up things nicely."

Sveigoir tilted his head ever so slightly, his Vanaheim crown sparkling in the setting sunlight. "All-Father, I take no offense. But I am not here to discuss my daughters; I am more worried about the impending forces against our realms."

"War has been avoided for centuries, my old friend. There is no point in worrying about it now, especially when the leadership of our kingdoms are about to be shifted." Odin gestured to the outside window, showing off the sparkling kingdom of Asgard. "Laufey has kept his terms with Asgard, even after the breach with Loki's misbehavings. We have not had another incidence."

"I am not talking about Laufey or Jotunheim." Sveigoir said seriously. "I am talking about an ancient enemy, one that has been asleep for many centuries. It has now awakened, and it is watching over both our realms."

Odin was astounded, and he felt a twinge of anger deep inside his gut, a feeling that he hadn't had for a long time. "Do you mean...?"

"Yes." Sveigoir looked grave. Odin stared at the floor and then slowly turned towards the railing again, his fingers clasping at the golden rail once more.

He closed his eyes and concentrated hard, using his powers to detect the aura around him. At first he felt nothing but the calming essence of light, and then he felt the aura of the great king behind him. It was a bright white light, and a calm sense washed over him. Then he felt it- a darkness that was slowly spreading over the white light. In his vision he could hear the dark laughter of the old enemy, someone that he hadn't seen in many centuries.

His eyes flew open and he stumbled back a little, gasping for breath. Sveigoir was right.

"This cannot be." he breathed, trying to labor his thumping heart. He turned towards his old friend, who's spell was wearing off and making his figure look smoky. Sveigoir looked sad as he shook his head, looking disfigured as the remnants of the spell wavered.

"My friend, we must be prepared. This is no longer our war, but our sons' and daughters'. This curse has carried onto them, I fear."

Odin shook his head. "We cannot force this onto them. Besides, it is tradition, and women are not able to fight in the wars."

"Traditions change." Sveigoir said simply. His body was becoming transparent. "My daughters have abilities, All-Father. You have your mistakes with your children, as I do mine."

_Loki.. Is he talking about Loki...? _"We will see, Sveigoir." Odin said quietly, as the figure of the Vanaheim king disappeared into the air. He knew that it would be a very long time before Sveigoir would appear again, depending on whether there would be enough spell materials to conduct such a powerful transportation, and whether he was still as powerful or not. No matter, he said what he needed to say.

Odin looked over and sighed. There was much to be done, as soon as possible. If his hunch was right, as it usually was, it would be a dangerous and long war, complete with the deaths of many warriors. Perhaps the old Vanaheim king was right- perhaps it _was _time to change the old traditions. He didn't understand what Sveigoir's mistakes with his daughters were; not that it was any of his business.

The door to the hall suddenly opened, and a guard poked his head through, bowing his head respectfully. "All-Father, the Vanaheim princesses have arrived. They are waiting outside the palace."

"I will be out momentarily. Call for Thor and Loki." Odin instructed. The guard nodded and closed the door, leaving him in the peaceful silence.

_We will take this one step at a time. _He decided. _There is no use in fretting over the events to come. _

* * *

_I did some research on who the king of Vanaheim was, and his name was a lot more complicated than the spelling here. I made it more simpler for me to write and its a lot easier to say. _

_Please tell me if you don't like my portrayal of any of the characters. Or tell me if you do. Either or, I'd like some feedback of the story in general. _

_Review. _


	4. The Meeting

Asgard was everything she expected it to be. Even with the glares from her sister every now and then, she still couldn't help but break her manners and ogle at the great kingdom that was Asgard. She made a mental note to NEVER go back to Vanaheim, this city was too wonderful to ever leave again. As the both of them waited outside of the palace quietly, she couldn't help but break her mannerism and look around the magnificent city. Every building was a gleaming white, and the path was carved out of the best cobblestones and made shiny so that it clicked underneath their shoes when they walked. Even the air smelled good, a little bit like a meadow or a forest.

"Can you stop looking around like a brazen child?" Kaisa hissed at her after a moment. "Pay attention; the All-Father will be outside in moments!"

Takumi gave her a bored glance. "You said yourself that we should appreciate a trip to this city, and I am. I'm simply admiring everything here, is that so wrong, sister?"

"It is wrong when you are acting rude! We are strangers to this realm!" Kaisa looked downright furious, no doubt irritated with all of Takumi's antics that day. "We are supposed to be the Princesses that Father trained us to be. Instead you have been acting insolent all day, and I am through with it, Takumi!"

"It wouldn't kill you to act a little less like an adult and more fun sometimes." Takumi said through clenched teeth, feeling her fists curl up in anger. It was unfair of her to get reprimanded by her sister, who was just a mere two years older than her. She wasn't a child, she just knew how to have fun sometimes. She wasn't a boring stick in the mud like Kaisa was, and she had no wish to. Sometimes mischief and fun was a necessity. Takumi just unfurled her fists and crept her hands up to the dagger still hidden in her belt, and felt herself calm a little. "I could just simply tell the All-Father that I don't want to be in his dumb realm or marry his stupid ugly son."

"Takumi!" Kaisa hissed, shock displayed on her pretty features. "How dare you say such a thing!?"

"I say what I want!" Takumi challenged, staring straight into her sister's brown eyes. "I'm tired of being yelled at."

The doors started to open, and it stopped the sisters' argument right then and there. Both girls quickly went into their Princess stances, their training taking over even though their emotions boiled underneath their calm facades. They both bowed their heads respectfully as a man walked out, one of his eyes covered with a golden patch and holding a sharp staff-like cane.

Takumi lifted up her eyes ever so slightly, peering at him through her black hair. The man looked sure looked intimidating with his one eye. He didn't look unkind, but he didn't look like a soft cuddly doll either. _That must be Odin. _She thought, feeling her insides twist with anxiety again.

"Greetings, Kaisa and Takumi Vanir." the man said, his voice loud and booming. "I see that you have made it into Asgard, safe and sound."

Takumi saw Kaisa stand up straighter out of the corner of her eye, and she did the same. Kaisa stepped forwards, her hands folded neatly against her stomach.

"I am Kaisa Vanir, of Vanaheim. This is my sister, Takumi Vanir, of Vanaheim. Tis a honor to be here, and we offer our respects and thanks." Kaisa bowed again, and Takumi took a hesitant step forwards as well. She didn't say a word, her mouth felt like it was glued shut. She couldn't speak, so she just did what Kaisa did and hoped that it would suffice for him.

It seemed to, since Odin just bowed back and then turned towards the door and beckoned them with his staff. "Follow me, and I will lead you to the throne room to meet my sons."

Kaisa didn't hesitate as she followed him dutifully, holding up her silky dress to prevent tripping over it as she stepped up the stairs. Takumi followed, trying to act like she was trained to. She hitched up her green silky dress too, just enough so that she wouldn't fall over it. As she walked into the palace, she heard the doors behind her close, and she wished that she could just disappear from the realm altogether.

Odin lead them down a long hallway, not speaking a word. It was just as well, Takumi didn't have anything to say. She didn't know what quite to do as she walked, so she just looked at the walls instead. To her surprise; everything in the Asgardian palace was just as fancy as the rest of the realm. Every portion of the wall had intricate designs carved into it, with golden torches attached on it and huge marble pillars holding up the ceiling. Chandeliers were mounted extravagantly above them, glowing brightly with different colored fires. Takumi tried not to stare at the overwhelming wealth, but she couldn't help it.

Servants were standing respectfully to the side, staring outwardly at them as they walked by. Odin didn't acknowledge them, and neither did Kaisa, so Takumi didn't either. She saw one of the younger servants peering shyly out from behind a pillar, and she gave him a soft smile in return. He saw, and with a surprised look, he dashed behind the marble pillar.

Takumi sighed inwardly and looked back down at the floor. They were all just staring like they had sprouted another head or something. They _were _aliens, after all, but it was still weird to be stared at like that.

Thankfully, they finally entered a large room. It was the biggest room that Takumi had ever seen, and the most fanciest. It was decorated heavily with golden runes and lights, with two decorated thrones against the furthest wall. Large windows let in the setting sunlight, casting shadows against the soldiers that were lined up in a row. Takumi couldn't even see their faces, they were dressed in full knight armor and were completely still.

But the thing that stood out the most was probably the two men near the thrones, one of them dressed in grey and red, and the other dressed in green and gold. Takumi kept her head down again and peered through her hair as she interpreted them. They were Odin's sons, she realized. The taller one with blonde hair peeking through his strange helmet looked nervous, but he stood still and was quiet. The shorter one was wearing a horned helmet and had jet-black hair coming out the back of his helmet- and he looked downright angry.

_I don't blame him. _Takumi thought angrily.

Both Kaisa and Takumi stopped just in front of the stairs leading up the throne, bowing their heads silently as Odin turned to them, watching the entire room. Besides the soldiers, there weren't many people standing around. There was a small band of warrior-looking people standing off to the side, staring at them intently. A fancily dressed woman came into the room and walked up the stairs, her long hair flowing beautifully behind her as she took a seat at one of the thrones. _Queen Frigga,_ Takumi presumed.

The entire room was silent. Takumi felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle upwards.

"Kaisa and Takumi Vanir." Odin spoke, his voice echoing around the room. Takumi lifted up her head, despite the fact that Kaisa hadn't done the same. She wanted to see better. "You have traveled very far to get here to meet my sons. Your father has announced that you shall be wed. My sons; Thor and Loki."

Both of the men stepped forwards, hesitant.

"Thor Odinson, my eldest son, you shall be wed to the eldest Princess Kaisa Vanir." Odin announced, stepping aside.

The man in red and grey stepped forwards. Takumi raised her eyebrows at him. So this was the great and mighty Thor that she learned about when she bothered to read the scrolls, the same Thor that battled on Earth and slayed the Chitauri army. One of the best heroes of the Nine Realms. She almost snorted in amusement. Of course Kaisa would get someone as powerful as he. It was fitting.

Thor knelt onto the ground gently, taking Kaisa's hand and kissing it. "Hello, my lady."

"Greetings." Kaisa said in a soft voice. Takumi almost cringed at the falseness of it all.

Taking her by the hand, Thor led her to the side of the throne room. It left Takumi all alone, standing there awkwardly in the middle of the room. There were a couple of amused snorts from the small band of warriors. She wanted to glare at them, but she was too afraid to even move her head.

"Loki Laufeyson, my second son, you shall be wed to the second Princess Takumi Vanir." Odin said, his voice losing a little less vigor than before.

Takumi watched stonily as the darker man stepped towards her, the look on his face close to hatred. With stiff movements, he knelt down and took her hand just as Thor did with Kaisa. The touch, Takumi realized, wasn't rough. It was gentle. He stiffly bought her hand to his lips, quickly pressing softly against her skin. Takumi almost flinched at the touch, and was relieved when he let go. Unfortunately, as he got up, he lapsed his arm within hers and they both walked over to the side.

Odin was watching the entire thing, silent as he watched. He looked almost as relieved as Frigga, although he still had the stern face of the King.

"Now that you have met each other, you will have time to be acquainted." he spoke, raising his staff and putting it once on the ground, as if to harden the deal. "The marriage will happen in exactly three moons, more than enough time for you to know each other's abilities and powers. I expect no trouble for these months, for if you are to be married, you must get along."

"Of course, Father." Thor spoke, nodding once. "We will show the ladies to their chambers."

Odin gave them an affirmed nod and signaled his staff towards the door, which swung open as if it was magic. Everyone in the room let out a collective sigh, but they slowly exited the room. Pretty soon, only Odin and his Queen remained. The royal couple looked at one another before Frigga gave them a gentle smile and exited herself. Odin followed her, and the large doors closed shut with a loud bang.

Takumi felt her stomach drop as she stared at Kaisa, the stares of the two strange men on her back.

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_Glad you guys are enjoying the story so far! _

_Please review. _


	5. A Rough Start

Standing alone with Kaisa and the two strange men was the most awkward thing that Takumi had to ever go through. Her face felt like it was burning, and her hands felt sweaty. She wanted to turn and run out, but Loki was pressed closely to her back. She could feel his body heat pulse against her, and his stare penetrating at the back of her head. Cursing the entire situation inwardly, she tried to let Kaisa know of her awkwardness by staring at her, but it didn't work. Kaisa wasn't even looking at her anymore. She was staring at her to be husband instead, looking love-stricken.

Thor gave them both a gentle smile, waving his hand in a gesture of formal greeting. "Tis good to finally meet you two." he said softly. "I know this realm may seem strange to you, but it will seem like home soon. Do not fear the All-Father, he is not as intimidating as he seems."

"I am sure he has a lot on his mind, nowadays. Tis not easy, being the leader of Asgard." Kaisa said, giving him a small smile in return. "Tis lovely to meet you two as well. Much better than reading from the scrolls."

"They are inadequate." Thor said, his eyes twinkling slightly. "The both of you are perfect examples of Vanaheimian royalty. I hope you will like it here, Lady Kaisa."

"I am sure I will." Kaisa's face blushed ever so slightly.

_Gross. _Takumi cringed a little.

"I will lead you to your chambers now, if you wish. I am sure you are both exhausted from your journey from Vanaheim." Thor gently took Kaisa's arm in his, and Takumi could see her sister melting ever so slightly in his embrace. Thor looked at her, finally, with the same gentle smile he had given Kaisa. "Lady Takumi, Loki will show you his chambers. Do not fret, the palace is heavily guarded and you may rely on Loki to protect you."

"That would be great," Kaisa said kindly. She looked over at the silently brooding man standing behind Takumi. "The pleasure to meet you, Loki. I have heard many things about you."

Loki gave her the smallest hint of a smile. "Charmed."

Thor and Kaisa started to turn, about to leave for the chambers. Takumi felt her fists clench again; Kaisa was seriously leaving her alone!? She wanted to scream after her sister and cling to her like she did when she was younger, but she fought off that urge and stayed stiffly where she stood, as if her feet were glued to the marble floor. The two of them left, the doors closing shut and ringing in the empty, silent room.

Slowly, she turned around to face Loki. He was staring at her with wide emerald eyes, looking as though he was debating whether to run away himself. He sighed to himself and turned a little, away from her, and then glanced at her again.

"Let us go to the chambers." he said after a moment, his voice husky and quiet.

Takumi just nodded, feeling wary. He walked briskly as they left the throne room, not even paying her another glance.

_Is this how it's always going to be with him? _She wondered briefly, as she walked behind him. It wasn't like she minded, she liked the space that he was giving her. But she felt a sting of loneliness as they entered a twisting, dark hallway. It was barely lit with torches, and the ceiling towered above them in a gaping yawn. Was she always going to be alone? In this strange new realm without any friends?

Takumi shook her head as she walked, unamused with her thoughts. It wasn't going to be much different than living in Vanaheim, was it?

Loki turned down a hall and nearly disappeared, blending into the darkness of the hall. With a quick twist of his hand, the door he had stopped in front of opened ever so slightly. Takumi raised an eyebrow as she saw it, she could've sworn she saw a tiny flicker of yellow coming from his hand.

Was that magic?

Loki gave her a glance and then stepped inside, leaving the door open for her. With a deep breath and a bit of hesitation, Takumi walked into the dark room. She closed the door behind her, and she heard the heavy crack of the lock magically sealing itself. As her eyes adjusted, she could see that the chamber was neatly organized, with large books piled up in stacks on the floor in front of a large blazing fireplace. There was a bed near the large window, exploiting the now blackened sky of nightfall and the moonlight just barely filtering through the clouds.

She looked at Loki, who was taking off his helmet and throwing it onto the floor in a fit of disgust. He then looked at her, as though he just realized she was in the same room. His emerald eyes darkened a few shades, and he scowled at her.

Takumi scowled back, feeling a twinge of irritation.

"This shall be your chambers." he said gruffly, looking back down at the floor. He waited a moment and studied her expression. "Does this not suit you, Lady Takumi?"

"This will be fine." Takumi said, her voice just as stiff as the rest of her. She didn't quite know what to do, so she simply stood there in that one spot.

Loki snorted and turned away from her, staring out the window. He was quiet for a couple of moments, and then he looked back towards her. He had a strange look of malice on his face, and before Takumi could stop herself, her hand went straight for her belt.

Just as she thought, Loki lunged towards her with a staff that seemed to materialize out of nowhere. The dagger that she had hidden in her belt for the whole journey flipped easily into her hand, and she held up in self-defense. The shaft of the staff hit the blade, sending sparks flying. Takumi fell onto the floor from the sudden hit, but she kept her dagger up and holding the staff just about to stab her. She let out a choked cry as her arms started to burn from holding up the dagger.

Loki was on top of her, gripping the staff tightly and scowling furiously. His other hand was gripped at one of her wrists, holding it down onto the floor with fierce strength. Takumi struggled to hold the dagger up, it was slipping from her hand.

"I do not want some harlot in my life, I do not want to be married and have that _BURDEN_ with me." Loki snarled, pressing his staff harder into her. Takumi grunted and pushed the dagger harder, sending him tumbling onto his back. His hand let go of her wrist, and she jumped to her feet and swung her dagger. The blade caught through the front of Loki's tunic, slicing the fabric in two.

"I do not want this either, you idiot." Takumi hissed, clutching her weapon tightly. The look on Loki's face was one of disbelief, that she had actually managed to push him off. She backed up a little, feeling her hands shake.

Loki suddenly swung his staff at her, and she tried to deflect it with her dagger. The hard metal hit her hand and knocked the dagger out of her hand, and she felt Loki powerfully pushing her backwards into the wall. Her back slammed against the marble, and she felt his heavy body against hers. Gasping, she looked up at him, their faces inches away. Loki looked dangerous, his eyes a dark green and a mischevious smile stretched on his face.

_The God of Mischief. _Takumi suddenly thought through her panic. _He is the God of Mischief. I remember now- he's the one that attacked Earth all those centuries ago! The stories of the two brothers! Oh no, oh gods no! Why didn't I read more!? Fuck! _

"I am surprised," Loki mused softly, sounding pleased with himself. "You are not as weak as I had hoped."

Takumi tried to push him away, tried to push away the hands that were holding her down. She hated him; hated him more than she had hated anything in the Nine Realms. There was a sharp pain in her wrist from him holding it tightly against the wall. Her dagger was all the way on the floor away from her, far out of her reach.

_Use your magic! Use your magic! _Her mind screamed. Takumi struggled further, panic welling over her as Loki's staff crept closer to her neck, just about to nick the soft skin. He was chuckling softly, almost manically.

"You will long for something as sweet as pain." he purred in her ear. Takumi tried to let out a yell, but Loki's hand quickly snuck up her body and covered her mouth, muffling her cries. "You will regret ever trying to defy me."

Takumi looked at him in the eyes and saw a flicker of a strange blue in them, the most strangest blue she had ever seen. If she wasn't so panicked, she would've been entranced by it. Instead, she concentrated as hard as she could.

The fire in the fireplace behind them suddenly came to life, the fire bursting out of it's hole and exploding at them like a hand. It unfurled at Loki's back, causing him to let go of Takumi and whirl around in shock, staring at the huge flames in disbelief. Takumi quickly took that opportunity and swung her fist towards his face, slamming him into the ground. The fire slowly retreated back into the fireplace like it belonged, and Loki laid on the floor, still.

She grabbed her dagger from the floor and held it in her hand, still wary. With one foot, she kicked at Loki's shoulder. "Get the fuck up."

There was a groan coming from the god, but he rolled onto his stomach and lifted up his head, the corner of his mouth trickling a small stream of blood. The weird blue in his eyes were gone, replaced by a burning hate for her. "You insolent..."

"You attacked me," Takumi said lamely, still holding the dagger in her hand.

Loki shakily got to his feet and glared at her, wiping the blood from his mouth. He looked at the fireplace, half expecting it to erupt again, and then back at her. Then a sly smirk curled on his face, something close to the mischevious grin he had earlier. "You are fiery."

"So I've been told." she muttered. She put the dagger in her belt again, and then cautiously went towards him, reaching for the bruise that was starting to show on his face. "Sorry about punching you. Let me see it."

"Do not touch me, you mewling creature." Loki snapped, pushing away her hands. "I do not need your help."

"I am trying to make peace." Takumi growled, putting her rejected hands to her sides. "You think I want to be here with you? We're forced to be wed, so just deal with it."

"I am not forced to do anything." Loki said tightly, pushing past her roughly. He opened the door and then slammed the door behind him, almost rattling the books on the shelves.

Takumi shivered, even though the room was warm. She didn't know what else to do, so she just sat on the floor in front of the fireplace, looking at the fire. As she tried to warm her hands, she realized that she was trembling like a child. Her bones felt rattled, and she felt her heart thumping like a wild animal in a cage. She felt the biggest urge just to curl up on the floor and fall asleep- the entire journey to Asgard and the attack had left her body exhausted. But for the first time in her life, she was afraid to fall asleep.

Loki obviously hated her; enough to kill her. He just proved that. And what was wrong with his eyes? The way they turned blue, instead of a darker shade of green? Takumi pulled out her dagger and laid it beside her, just in case she needed it. What kind of magic was in Asgard anyways? She wasn't sure she wanted to know.

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_Please review._


	6. The Feeling of Hatred

_Attention: Thor 2: The Dark World was freaking amazing. I cried. You all need to go see it, if you haven't already :3_

_However- since this story takes place much much after these stories (about a century since Jane has died on Earth), there will be some spoilers in here. I'm really sorry about those of you who find that annoying, I'll try to post up at the top if there are spoilers. _

_I'm really glad for all of you who are actually following along to this story! _

_Enjoy. :)_

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There a loud knock at the door. The sound was explosively loud in the dull silence.

"Mmm?" Takumi woke up, her head spinning. She opened her eyes slowly, everything around her blurring and whirling around her. She felt a little bit like throwing up. The knock came again, and with difficulty, she said aloud, "Hello?"

"Lady Takumi, tis time for the morning breakfast!" she heard Thor say cheerfully on the other side. "Your sister and I will be meeting you there, yes? Get Loki up too, so that we all may share a morning feast together!"

"Uhm.. okay." she said in a muffled voice, putting her head back down on the floor. She heard Thor's footsteps fade away, and she let out a breath that she hadn't realized she was holding. She was too tired to get up from the floor. And she was cold, why was she so cold? She lay there for a moment, and then the realization sunk in.

Takumi flew upwards, sitting up so quickly that she felt like passing out. Ah, now she remembered entirely where she was. The fireplace that she had fallen asleep in front of was now gone, just smoldering ashes and coals. Her body was sore from sleeping on the cold, hard floor. Even her silky dress was freezing cold; the Vanaheimian fabric not used to the frigid falls of Asgard. Shivering, she got herself up and stretched out her legs. They protested with pain, but she could walk. Picking up her dagger from the ground, she tucked it into her belt.

_Now to find that stupid bastard. _She thought angrily, looking around the room. The bed by the window was untouched. No doubt that Loki hadn't come into the room all night, trying to avoid her. That bought her a little bit of satisfaction.

The door to the chambers suddenly opened, Loki strode through, looking unperplexed as ever.

Takumi just stared at him as he closed the door behind him and stiffly held out his arm. There was a brown cloth hanging from his grasp, swaying ever so slightly.

"What?" Takumi said blatantly, crossing her arms over her chest. Loki raised an eyebrow at her.

"You are still wearing your Vanaheim clothing." he said tersely. "You would be more comfortable if you were to change into the attire of this realm."

Takumi stared at the dress that he was clutching in his hands. She carefully took it from him, half expecting him to lunge at her once again. He didn't, his eyes simply passed over her as though she wasn't really there. There wasn't a morsel of apologetic emotion on his face; it was as though last night had never happened. Takumi sighed and looked at the dress, deciding to avoid Loki's eyes.

It was actually one of the most beautiful garments that Takumi had ever seen. The color of rich brown that cascaded to a lighter brown down at the bottom, the fabric so light that it almost floated. She wondered what kind of tailor made it.

"Thor and Lady Kaisa are at the dining hall waiting for us." Loki muttered, breaking her out of her thoughts. "You may change into that after breakfast. I can lead you to the Asgardian baths if you want to bathe."

Takumi gently put the dress onto the bed by the window, noticing the small twitch of irritation that crossed Loki's face. She felt another little burst of satisfaction. "That would be lovely." she said in her best Princess voice. "Let us go now."

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Loki bought the breakfast food to his lips and took a small bite of it, chewing it and swallowing- but not tasting a morsel of it. He had lost his entire appetite.

Even though he wasn't watching, he could hear Thor spin some fanatic story about one of his battles; twisting it into something much more extravagant than it truly was. Loki remembered this battle, it was the one with the Frost Giants down in Jotunheim. It wasn't as amazing as he remembered; it was more terrifying to him than anything else. But Kaisa seemed to enjoy it, sighing dramatically at all the action parts and looking at him with wide eyes. Takumi seemed less impressed, just nodding every now and then and pushing the food around on h er plate. Loki noticed that she wasn't eating, she was just cutting up her food.

He bought another piece of bread to his lips and swallowed it, returning his attention to the tasteless food on his plate.

"And that is when I swung my mighty hammer into the creatures face, bludgeoning it right in the head! It went down into the dark cavernous hole of the Jotunheim border, screeching its entire way down. My soldiers and I were victorious, and we celebrated that night with the head of the creature and a large feast fit for the entire realm of Asgard!" Thor threw his empty mead cup onto the ground for emphasis, and Kaisa let out a happy squeal.

"Had that really happened?" she giggled, taking a sip from her cup.

Thor gave her a goofy grin. "Oh my Lady, I would not lie to you about such a glorious moment. Loki was there, were you not?"

Loki stared at Thor, feeling a bout of bitterness wash over him. He wanted to just flip over the table and leave the room, but he forced himself to nod his head. He was already in a lot of trouble with the All-Father, and any more breaching would end in another round of Asgardian prisons. "Indeed. It was marvelous, Lady Kaisa."

"See! I would not tell a lie!" Thor said uproariously, thumping his hand on the table. Kaisa laughed along with him.

Loki stared at his food, pushing down the constant urge to destroy everything in the damn room. It wasn't a secret that he detested this marriage, that he bitterly hated that Odin was allowing this to go on. Thor knew just as well as Odin did- but that wasn't enough to stop it all together. In fact, he had been reprimanded by Odin that he must accept this and move on. If he didn't; he would no longer be under Asgardian protection and would be cast out to the lonely recesses of Jotunheim. He would be prey to Thanos and the Other; who still hadn't forgiven him for his plunder on Midgard.

He took another glance at Takumi sitting next to him, who hadn't said a word since they arrived in the room. Her black hair was mainly covering her face on the right side, where he knew a bruise was hidden.

Loki winced inwardly and took a sip of mead. He felt a twinge of regret about attacking her that night, but he hadn't been able to control himself. He was just so angry, and she had tossed him off with a nonchalant attitude. The fact that she actually fought him back surprised him; even more so that she had a dagger completely hidden in her belt. The fire that seemed to come alive had scared him more than he wanted to admit; it was almost like she was controlling it with her mind.

With some kind of spell, of course. He scoffed to himself and pushed around some fruit. Vanaheimian spells were much more different than Asgardian spells... he would know. But he had never encountered a magic spell that allowed someone to control the elements.

It didn't matter, he decided. He still detested her, and it was clear that she wasn't fond of him either. The three moons they were forced to spend together were going to be painful. And the actual marriage ceremony was going to be miserable. Loki glanced at Thor and Kaisa, still laughing with one another and acting as though they were friends for years. He felt more irritated as he watched them: why the hell were _they _so happy? They had just met yesterday.

"Sister, you have not spoken much." Kaisa said suddenly, looking at Takumi with interest. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine, sister." Takumi said smoothly. Loki raised an eyebrow and glanced at Kaisa, who looked more concerned now. She looked at Loki and glared at him a little bit, and then returned to her sister.

"Are you sure? You haven't eaten much breakfast."

Takumi looked at Kaisa and then scoffed, much to his surprise. "I'm fine, Kaisa. Don't be such a worry-wart. I just had trouble getting to sleep last night."

Kaisa gave her a soft smile. "Alright, if you say so, sister."

Loki watched in silent fury as Kaisa stood up and brushed the crumbs off the front of her dress. Thor got up from his seat as well, and caught Loki's stare. "Brother, I am going to show Kaisa around Asgard. She has never been."

"I am so excited." Kaisa gushed, holding onto Thor's arm. "He has told me about the Asgardian cloth weavers. They are supposedly different than the ones in Vanaheim!"

"You guys have fun." Takumi said dully, pushing around her food.

Thor grinned and put his arm around Kaisa. "Loki, what will you be doing for your lady? I am sure the God of Mischief can come up with something extravagant."

Loki felt his hands twitch with irritation. "Of course I have something planned. I was going to show her the palace today, and the public baths that are so reveled in this realm."

Kaisa made an _ooh _sound, which angered him further. "I am assuming they do not call you mischievous for nothing." she giggled.

"Well we will leave you to your devices." Thor said grandly. And with that, the two of them made their way out of the room, laughing and talking with one another.

The two of them were left alone, awkwardly sitting at the table and staring down at their plates, looking everywhere else but each other. After a few minutes, Takumi threw down her fork and laughed dryly. "You're lucky you're a pretty good liar, Laufeyson."

"I have my moments." Loki said dryly, pushing away his plate. His appetite was more than diminished.

"You don't have to show me around or anything." Takumi continued, still studying the table. She pushed her black hair behind her shoulders and leaned back in her chair, looking nonchalant. "Hell, you don't even have to sleep with me in the same room okay? I'll sleep in some empty chambers or something until the marriage ceremonies."

"The only rooms that are empty are the servants quarters." Loki said tensely, his fingers fidgeting. "They are filthy and unclean."

"You dislike me anyway, why do you care?" Takumi snapped, getting up from her seat. "You would prefer it if I took a dive off a cliff."

She brushed by Loki, her dress gliding over his arm. With one swift movement, Loki grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him. Takumi struggled for a moment and glared at him, her eyes widening as she felt his fingers dig into her skin.

"Correction, I would prefer it if you jumped off the Rainbow bridge." he snarled.

Takumi wrenched her arm away and put it down to her side. She didn't say another word, she simply walked the other way and left the room. The door closed quietly behind her.

Loki sat at the feasting table, his thoughts churning in his mind. He could not take three moons of this; he could not. He would rather take another round in the Asgardian prisons, as terrible as that experience was. He had only spent a night with this woman, and already she was infuriating, stubborn! She was insubordinate, nothing like a Princess was supposed to act! Pah! She acted like a warrior, much like Sigyn did- except this was from Vanaheim. Vanaheimian women were not allowed to fight.

He cursed Odin's name. He had to change this; some way, somehow.

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_Please review. _


	7. Gold-handed

_Stupid god! I hate him and his guts and everything about him! _Takumi stomped the entire way down to the chambers and just slammed the door behind her. Did he always have to be an ass about everything? Telling her that he wanted her to jump off the Rainbow Bridge to her death- not something that would be considered suitable for a Prince to say his future wife.

It was just as well, she supposed. She hated him too. She wouldn't mind to see him disappear for a while.

Her eyes slowly went to the light brown dress still lying on Loki's bed. With a frustrated sigh, she walked over and grabbed it off the bed, starting back towards the hall when she tripped on something.

She landed on the floor clumsily, knocking the breath out of her lungs. For a second, she just laid on the floor with shock, her mind reeling with confusion. Then it registered in her mind and she cursed herself for being a klutz. With a loud groan, she pushed herself over onto her back and took a deep breath.

Well, that was a bit painful.

Takumi slowly sat up and looked at her feet to see what she had fallen over. To her surprise, it was the strange golden helmet that Loki had been wearing yesterday; the one with the horns. She put down the dress and reached over to it, taking the heavy helmet in her hands and feeling the cold metal seep through her fingers.

It was really shiny- that was her first thought. As she looked at it further, she could see how detailed it really was. Takumi chuckled to herself as she looked it over; was this what Loki really wore when he rode out to battle? Had he worn this when he was in Midgard? It looked kind of ridiculous. She got to her feet and held it out so she could see it better, and she stifled a giggle. It looked like a ram's head!

She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror that was hung up right next to Loki's dresser and startled herself. She hadn't seen it last night; it was too dark. Takumi slowly walked over to it, the helmet still clutched tightly in her hands.

Oh, she couldn't resist.

Lifting up the golden helmet all the way up, she put it over her head. It was a little too big for her, and it sunk down past her forehead so that she couldn't see a thing. She giggled and pushed it back to where it was supposed to be; a crest right above her eyebrows. She had to hold it up to make it fit, but that was okay.

She didn't look half-bad, she had to admit. She looked rather heroic. Trying out all these different poses, she switched herself around in various ways. Takumi let out a loud laugh as she threw her fist up in the air as though she was back from some battle. She pushed out her lip and tried to look as dangerous as she could. Then she flipped the dagger out from her belt and swiped it in the air, acting like she was fighting off some invisible foe with her new helmet.

She briefly wondered if she could head-butt someone with it. With another laugh, she twirled around and swung her dagger again, hearing the shrill whistle of the blade in the air.

"Take this!" she whispered fiercely to the invisible foe, envisioning a large hulking animal creature from the Vanaheim mountains with terrifying fangs and claws that threatened to scrape her open. She concentrated as hard as she could, gathering the image in her mind. Her hands thrusted forwards, glowing with yellow magic. Before her eyes, there was a smoky vision of a snow beast, clawing at the air. It was the perfect vision for her to fake battle with her new helmet.

The beast roared, swiping at the air to get to her. Takumi grinned and took a step back, one hand holding up her helmet and the other hand holding her dagger. The fake creature leapt forwards soundlessly, it's gaping maw dripping with foam.

Just as she hoped, the environment around them changed from Loki's dark chambers to the snowy mountains of Vanaheim. It was cold- bitterly cold, and she could feel her skin prickle painfully from the icy wind. The helmet transformed to fit snugly on her head, and heavy armor laced with wool quickly covered her legs and and stomach. She caught a glimpse of herself in an ice shard hanging from a tree.

A warrior stared back at her, with blackened eyes and long black hair laced with white.

With a devilish grin, Takumi jumped forwards and slashed her dagger in the monster, watching as the gash fizzled in the smoke and then closed back up. The monster let out a painful howl as though it really _was _injured. It reached for her, it's massive paws dripping blood and snow. She grinned and poked at it with the dagger, listening to the shrill shriek in the air. It lurched closer to her, reaching for her small head...

"What are you doing?"

Takumi let out a scream as the voice suddenly broke her vision, making it disappear in a puff of whirling smoke and causing her lose her balance. She fell backwards onto her butt, accidently letting go of her dagger. With the magic spell gone, the helmet turned back to it's normal size. The front of the golden crest quickly fell into her line of sight, and she saw nothing but gold metal for a moment. Face burning red, she sheepishly lifted up the crest to see a stunned God of Mischief staring at her in disbelief.

_Oh my gods. Takumi, good going. _

Loki stared at her, his face a mix of emotions. Takumi wasn't sure what to interpret, so she reluctantly answered his question. "I.. uh.. came to get my clothes to go to the baths."

Loki simply stared at her some more, not really saying anything. He looked completely stunned.

Takumi quickly got to her feet and took off the helmet, gently putting it on the ground so that it wouldn't be damaged. She also grabbed her dagger and tucked it back into her belt. With a cool expression on her face, she looked at him and folded her new dress over her arms. "I am going to go now. Do not disturb me."

She quickly pushed past him, nearly running down the hall.

* * *

Takumi quickly opened the door that lead to the Asgardian baths, her face flaming red with humiliation and her hands shaking a bit from fear. She felt the humidity from all the baths and felt her chest constrict a little from all the thick fog. Without hesitation, she quickly slipped into one of the smaller rooms, which consisted of a small bench and a pool of bubbling, clear water. She shut the door and locked it firmly before losing control of her knees and sinking down to the floor.

She was so stupid. What in the Nine Realms persuaded her to put on Loki's Asgardian helmet?! Yeah, she looked pretty cool and everything; but it was forbidden for a woman to wear battle armor. And to make it worse, Loki had caught her in the middle of an illusion.

She knew that magic was forbidden in all the Nine Realms, especially sorcery. If she had been caught by Odin himself- what would he have done? She would most likely be punished for her misbehavings. Takumi let out a shuddering sigh and threw the dress she was clutching onto the bench beside her.

Would Loki tell his father what he had caught Takumi doing? He probably would; he hated her more than anything. It had only been a day and a half- and already he had tried to kill her. This would be the perfect opportunity to have her beaten and punished... and this time she wouldn't be allowed to fight back.

Takumi put her head in her hands and groaned aloud. She should've remembered from the first time when she got caught using her magic. Her father had never been angrier.

_"I do not understand why you are so angry! There is nothing wrong with my sorcery!" she said fervently, clutching the spell-book in her tiny hands. She stuck out her lower lip, trying her hardest not to cry. She didn't understand- what had she done wrong? She thought he would be happy that she was reading at such a young age; much younger than when Kaisa had learned to read. _

_Her Father glared at her, and with one swift move, he ripped the book from her clutches and tore it in half. His eyes were blazing with fury. "You do not understand, you idiotic girl! You are a female, do you understand me? You are irrelevant in battle- it is useless for you to learn such things! If the All-Father were to find out that I allowed my daughters to practice magic, he would have my head severed and the kingdom of Vanaheim would vanish. Would you like that?" _

_"No." she cried, rubbing at her eyes. "But I do not understand- Kaisa is allowed to train with her sword. Why can I not use magic? I am no good with a sword, Father, I swears, I have tried!" _

_"Kaisa is the eldest, therefore she must learn how to defend herself. You must learn how to use a sword as well, but that is all I may allow. Any more use of magic, Takumi, and I will punish you!" _

Takumi squeezed her eyes shut and tried to block out that memory, cringing at the echoes of her Father's threats. She busied herself by taking off her Vanaheimian dress and discarding it into the corner before slipping into the hot, bubbly water of the bath.

The hot water was a relief to her aching body. It soothed her back and she felt herself start to relax against the wall of the bath, lowering herself until the water was up over her breasts and up to her chin. Her long hair floated in the water in front of her, looking like billowing black smoke in the water. She stretched out her legs and let her feet peek out from the watery depths.

Takumi let her hands break the surface of the water, testing the hot liquid with her hand. She was thankful for the warmth, she had been cold the entire night and she was starting to feel it in her bones. The cold was something that she hated with a passion; for some reason, she had never dealt well with the snow and chilling winds that resided in the Vanaheim mountains.

A sudden memory all of a sudden appeared in her brain: the one where she saw herself in that shard of ice while battling the visionary monster. For a split second, all she saw was a warrior. But now.. now she was nothing. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to forget, running her hands through her hair.

As the warmth of the water unraveled the tight knot in her stomach, she felt herself relax further. With a kick of her legs, she swam to the other side of the pool, her legs moving through the hot water with ease. She reached the other side and pulled herself up a little, gasping for air and feeling the intense chill spreading over her chest and back. Goosebumps prickled at her skin.

She quickly grabbed the soap that sat in the little perch and dunked it into the water, breathing in the nice scent that came off of it. As she gently scrubbed her body with it, she couldn't help but breathe it in deeply. It reminded her of the rivers and forests just after it rained. It had that peculiar smell, the rain did. She loved that smell, whenever she smelt it in the air she had opened her chamber windows so that her entire room would smell like that.

Lathered and soapy, she dived her entire body in the pool, submerging herself. Takumi felt her lungs constrict as she went deep into the pool, but she didn't care. She was encased in a warm, watery place- something that she welcomed. Her lungs started to scream for air, and she reluctantly went to the surface and let out a loud sigh as she exhaled. Wiping off her face, she opened her eyes and slowly swam to the side of the pool.

She dried herself off as fast as possible, wincing as the cool air prickled her skin and made her shiver. The Asgardian dress slipped over her body easier than she thought it would. She was stunned as she realized it was a good fit- everything was in the right place and nothing hung off. She tied the sash around the middle.

She left the baths, unsure if she should try to clean up after the mess she had made. As she walked through the palace halls, she realized that she had taken a wrong turn somewhere and that she was lost. It wasn't that big of a deal, she decided. It wasn't like Loki wanted her around. Maybe it was time to see what the great palace of Asgard had to offer.

* * *

_Please review. _


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